1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio data recording/reproduction system which records and reproduces audio data such as voice data. More specifically, the present invention relates to the recording/reproduction of audio data in an optically readable format.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various types of media for recording voice data, music data and the like are known. Such known media include a magnetic tape and an optical disk.
However, with these media, the unit cost cannot be reduced very much even if a great amount of copies are prepared, and a large area is required to store such media.
In the case where a medium on which voice is recorded has to be delivered to a person in a remote place, much time and labor can be required.
In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a technique in which audio data is recorded on a sheet of paper in the form of image data which can be transmitted by facsimile and copied in large numbers.
An example of such technique is disclosed in, for example, Jap. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 60-244145, and according to this publication, audio data is converted into image data by converting some audio data into an optical code.
Further, the following audio data recording/reproduction system and a recording medium used therefor, have been proposed in International Application PCT/JP93/01377 of the assignee of the present application. According to this document, from a recording medium on which multi media information including audio data such as voice, video data obtained from a video camera or the like and digital code data or the like is recorded in the form of optically readable dot code, the dot code is optically read, and a portion to be converted back to the multi media information is stored in a portable box. Thus, the multi media information can be reproduced from the recording medium regardless of place or number of reproductions, making it possible to use a recording medium on which the multi media information including audio data is recorded for a long time.
Further, recently, there has been known an image/voice recording device which uses a recording medium having a recording memory region on a silver salt film, capable of recording image data on a silver salt region and recording audio data on a magnetic recording region. In the conventional system which uses such an image/audio recording device, the image data recorded on the silver salt film is printed on the surface of a photographic paper, and the audio data is stored in another recording medium as a magnetic recording medium.
However, in the printing system in which image data recorded on a silver salt film is printed on the surface of photographic paper and audio data is stored on a magnetic recording medium, each photograph and each magnetic recording medium are separated from each other, and the reproduction of the audio data on the magnetic recording medium and the maintenance of the medium are time-and-labor consuming after adhering each photograph on an album or the like. Further, the audio data on the magnetic recording media are deteriorated as the number of times of reading is increased, and as a result, the audio data are degraded along with time.